Well, the short answer is: very carefully.

We have been fortunate to have a loyal customer base, for starters. They have been the saving grace during this rough economic downturn. And, we work twice as hard as we used to, in all areas of our business. I’m not saying this for pity, just being honest. We are more choosey as our budget is tighter. Before we even go on a buying trip there are a few things we now do. We spend more time exhausting supplier websites as a large percentage of wholesalers now have websites for the trade only. This helps us narrow our choices and saves us time once we show up at a trade show. We are armed and ready, so to speak.

More than anything else, Robert and I attend gift/rug/textile/accessory trade shows across the United States. From my unscientific study after recently attending the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) in New York City, the good news from the retail front is that suppliers and buyers are more optimistic and less terrified (yes, terrified) than last year. After questioning many of our long-term suppliers about their business, the mood at the Fair was substantially more upbeat and positive. I liked that! Last year was a fearful time for so many small businesses (we were not excluded), so I loved finally seeing the light in the eyes of many wholesalers and buyers. It feels like a tighter “club” now. We are all going through this together and we are still standing.

For those unfamiliar, the NYIGF takes place two times a year in New York City at the Jacob Javits Convention Center and Passenger Piers 92 and 94, and attracts over 30,000 buyers from more than 85 countries worldwide. They come to walk the floors of the Javits and often make their final buying decisions right there. It’s not uncommon to hear people speaking several different foreign languages all at once as we walk down the aisles. It can be a thrilling experience.